So, how do we know God's dream for us? In the same ways we know everything else in life. Sometimes God speaks to us intuitively. We have a sense of something we should do. Or his Spirit speaks to our spirit and we know what is right. We don't need pragmatic or rational evidence--we just know it.

Such was Joseph's experience. He "had" a dream, a vision which was given to him by God. He was not the last. Jacob had a vision of the ladder to heaven (Genesis 32:30). As he was being martyred, Stephen had a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). Paul "had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them" (Acts 16:9-10).

God wants to speak to our spirits more than we want to hear him. He promised, "I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28); this promise was fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:17).

How is it fulfilled today? How do we see God's vision and hear his voice?

We make a space to listen. God spoke to the young boy Samuel in a voice so quiet it did not waken anyone else in the house (1 Samuel 3). He spoke to Elijah in a "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12). He spoke to Peter in a vision only Peter saw.

But Peter first made space to see and hear the Lord: "About noon the following day…Peter went up on the roof to pray" (Acts 10:9). This was the unshaded part of the house, in the heat of the day. He knew he would be there alone. And he was, until he was joined by the God of the universe.

Make space for God. Answer his invitation: "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). When last did you give God even 15 minutes to speak to you? When you weren't doing all the talking to him? Open his word and ask him to speak to your heart from his revelation. Consider something in his creation, a leaf or sunset or cloudy sky, and ask him to speak to you from his creation. Worship him, and ask him to speak to you from the songs or words you sing or speak.

This week God spoke to my spirit in just such a way. I am an impatient person by nature. Most of us in this culture are results-oriented. We want to see our goals fulfilled, our work succeed.

As I was writing this message, I found myself drawn to the trees outside my study window. They are the same trees I've enjoyed for more than seven years now. The thought struck me that those trees are much larger than when I came to Dallas, much fuller and more beautiful. But I couldn't detect their growth day by day. Their success is measured by years, not weeks.

So is yours and mine. That was a word I needed God to speak to me this week. More than 300 times the Bible records God speaking to us. When was the last time you gave him opportunity to speak his dream to you?